Rail-joint



(No Model.) D. R. ATKINSON.

RAIL JOINT No. 404,764. PatentedJune 4, 1889.

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/ VEA/TOR ATTORNEY n. Pnzns, Phmmmmpw. wnhinmn nc UNITED STATES APATENT OFFICE.

DVIGHT R. ATKINSON, OF ALBANY, ASSIGN OR OF ONE-HALF TO J. EDVVVARD DODGE, OF VATERFORD, NEV YORK.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,764, dated Jun: 4, 1889.

` August 4,1888. seria No. 281,970. (No modem To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DWIGHT R. ATKINSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albany, in the county of Albanyand State of New York, have invented a new and useful Rail-Joint, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for fastening railway-rails together; io and the object of my invention vis to provide a rail-joint by means of which two rails may be brought together end to end and held securely and positively in position without the use of bolts, screws, and spikes. I attain this object by the mechanism illustrated inl the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a section along the line a Z) on Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a section along the line c (Z on Fig. 2 and on 2o Fig. 4. Fig. 4- is a plan. Fig. 5 is a detailed view of the wedge-shaped bar F, and Fig. 6 is a section along the line n 0, showing the wedge locking device.

Similar letters refer to similar parts t-h rou gh- 2 5 out the several views. The railway-chair- P, constructed of castiron, cast-steel, or other suitable material, is provided with lateral inwardly projecting flanges p p. To each side of the upper surface of the chair P, about midway between its ends, I place the boss K, the lower part of which boss is square or oblong in form and of a thickness extending above the surface of the chair P equal to the thickness of the foot of the rail at its outer edge, and the upper portion of the boss K, being triangular or V- shaped pointing inwardly and downwardly, extending from the top of the flange p to the square or oblong portion of the boss. lo The feet of the railsRand R have recesses cut into each side of their adjoining ends for the purpose of allowing the square portion of the boss K to iit therein, as shown in Fig. 4. It is apparent that the rails R and R may be arranged to come as near together as may be deemed advisable by constructing the recesses accordingly.

The object in itting the rails with recesses into which the square portion of the boss K 5o is placed is to prevent the rails from creepin g, which, under certain circumstances, they have a tendency to do. Vhen two rails are thus placed onto the chair P, their feet fitted to the boss K,I place on each side of the rails vresting upon the foot of each adjoining rail the triangular wedge-shaped bar F, larger at one end than at the other, provided with the V-shaped notch 7a, into which the triangular portion of the boss K lits, preventing thelongitudinal movement of the bar F. As thus 6o arranged the-bar F has one of its sides resting upon the foot of each rail and one of Vits sides resting against the flange p, its remaining side forming an obtuse angle with the foot of the rail. Into the last-mentioned side of the bar F is cut a groove extending from the larger end of the bar toward the smaller end a short distance and provided at the end of the groove with a notch or cavity, into which the hook H, formed at the end of the 7o steel key-bar S, is placed. The steel key-bar. S has formed on its upper surface a latchcatch o, which engages with the notches T T on the surface of the wedge NV. The groove into which the steel key-bar S is placed varies 7': in depth, being deeper near the end of the bar in order to allow the steel key-har S to be depressed and thus removed from contact with the notches T T of the wedge W when it is desired to unlock it. 8o

The wedge W is triangular in form and larger at one end than at the other, and is made to fit closely against the under side of the head and against the'web of the rails R and R', and also against the side of the bar F. 85 That side of the wedge WV coming into contact with the bar F is provided near its smaller end with a series of V-shaped Anotches T T, which engage with the latch-catch o on the key-bar S, as shown in Fig. 6. 9o

In order to place the wedgeW into position, it is necessary. to place its smaller end under the head of the rail and between the web and the side of the bar F nearest the smaller end of the bar F and drive it snugly home. The 95 smaller portion of the wedge NV is in contact with the larger portion of the bar F, which approaches quite near the head of the rails and presses as tightly against and is as closely in contact with the web and under side of the 10o head of the adjoining rails as it can be driven. The key S prevents it from withdrawing from contact with the bar F should there be sutiieient vibration of the rail to make such a thing possible withou t it, and the boss K holds the bar F from moving backward or forward on the chair I). The wedge W is throughout its whole length in contact with the web of the rails, and also throughout its whole length in contact with the bar F, and as each side of the rails is provided with the saine support, it follows, as a consequence, that the rails, wedges, bars, and chair form one solid mass, which cannot be separated by any accidental means.

I do not confine myinvention to the wedge iV partly in contact with the web and partly in contact with the head of the rail, as shown, but desire to call attention to the fact that these wedges would cause the device to be operative whether in contact with the head and foot of the rail, or with the head and web, or with the web, or with the head, foot, and web.

My rail-joint is very simple in its construetion, convenient and easily placed in position, and positive and satisfactory in its operation.

lVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is"

l. In a railway-joint, a chair provided with lateral inwardly-proj ecting iian ges an d bosses placed on each side of the upper surface ot' the chair, provided with alower portion square in form and an upper portion V-shaped, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a railway-joint, the combination of a triangular wedge-shaped bar provided with a groove and notch, into which is placed a keybar provided with alatch-catch, with a wedge provided with a series of notches, with which the latch-catch engages, all substantially as y described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a railway-joint, the eombination,with

` a chair provided with lateral iiiwardly-project- 4. In a railway-joint, the combination, with a chair provided with lateral inwardly-proj ecting flanges, ot' triangular wedge-shaped bars placed in contact withthe foot of the rails on both sides, and also in contact with the chairflanges, and wedges located in contact with the rail-webs and under sides ot the rail-heads, and also in contact with said bars, substantially as described.

5. In a railway-joint, the combination of a chair provided with an inwardly-projecting flange and a boss projecting inward from said flan ge, said boss having a lower squared portion to fit recesses in the adj aeent-ends of the rails and provided with an upper inwardlyprojecting V-shaped portion, a triangular wedge-shaped bar havinganotch to fit the V- shaped portion of said boss, said bar being placed upon the foot of each rail and in coiltact with the chair-flange, and a wedge driven in contact with the under side of the head of each rail, and also in contact with said bar, substantially as described.

G. In a railway-joint, the combination oi' a chair provided with lateral in ward] y-proj ecting flanges and bosses projecting inwardly from said flanges, said bosses each having a lower squared portion and an upper inwardlyprojecting V-shaped portion, the rails having recessed ends to iit the squared portions of said bosses, triangular wedge-shaped bars notched to fit said bosses and placed upon the toot ot' each rail on both sides and in contact with the chair-llanges, and wedges driven in contact with said rails and bars on both sides, substantially as described.

7. In a railway-joint, the combination of a chair provided on both sides with 'inwardlyprojecting lianges, triangular wedge-shaped bars resting on the rail-.feet in contact with the chair-flan ges and provided on their inner sides with key-latches, and wedges driven in Contact with said rails and bars on both sides of the rails, and provided with notches to engage the key-latches, substantially as described.

DWlGIl'l R. ATKINSON.

fitnessesz FREDERICK W. CAMERON, ALFRED A. GU'rHnIE. 

